Tea Veterans — James Norwood Pratt

Time to visit with another person who has been in the “tea trenches” for many years. Another dedicatee to the Camellia Sinensis plant (the tea bush) and to processing it for a variety of tastes. Someone who contributes daily to the enjoyment of tea by people the world over. Another unsung hero, a veteran in the world of tea: James Norwood Pratt.

What is it about people who spend decades of their lives working with and learning about tea? They always seem so full of joy in their photos. Pratt is no exception. Even in photos where he is not smiling broadly he seems totally passionate about the subject of tea.

But Pratt was not always a devotee of the leaf. He started with an enchantment for the fruit of the vine: grapes and the wine made from them. His first book, published in 1971, was The Wine Bibber’s Bible which is out of print now. The other surprise is that Pratt is from North Carolina, a part of the U.S. that imbibes “sweet tea” the way others take in colas and other soft drinks. Pratt is a true phenomenon, expanding beyond that one method of enjoying tea to encompass about every tea style there is, from British to Asian and everything in-between.

From writing books and articles to giving lectures and conducting tea sommelier courses, Pratt has a full agenda. He also manages to keep up with tea friends as they begin their own tea adventures, including opening tea rooms, and with other tea veterans such as the dynas-TEA of the Harney family of Harney & Sons.

Tea Lovers Treasury, pub. 1997 — the original version, full of history, anecdotes, and information to enchant tea lovers, along with information on a wide variety of teas available and what makes a quality cup of tea.

Whew! When you’re done reading all that, you’ll need a couple of pots full of tea. Maybe even three!

A final note: Don’t bother with the Wikipedia page about Pratt. It is noted as being written more like a marketing or advertising piece than an objective article. It is also practically word-for-word the same as an article on Teacourse.com.

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